Basic Chiffon Cupcakes 原味戚風杯子蛋糕

Do you like chiffon cakes? I do. They are so moist, soft and fluffy. When you turn them into cupcakes, because of its airiness, it is natural for them to crack in the oven during baking and then collapse while cooling. An easy way to fix/mask this is to pump it up with tasty filling (read about my blog post, Brown Sugar Banana Chiffon Cupcakes with Ganache Filling) or to add a swirl of buttercream or whipped cream on top (read about my blog post, Ganache Filled Vanilla Chiffon Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream). But what if you wanna eat them plain? This blog post is written specifically to demonstrate how to bake chiffon cupcakes that do not crack or collapse.
大家喜歡戚風蛋糕嗎？戚風蛋糕口感濕潤又輕盈，絕對是EC的最愛。可是將它轉成杯子蛋糕時，那鬆軟輕巧的質地往往成為其致命傷–出爐放涼時杯子蛋糕很自然的便會往下塌。最簡單的解決方法便是為杯子蛋糕注入美味餡料令蛋糕上漲(詳情請參考黑糖香蕉朱古力軟心戚風杯子蛋糕)，另一方法則是在表面唧上霜飾作遮掩(詳情請參考軟心朱古力雲尼拿戚風杯子蛋糕配雲尼拿籽瑞士蛋白奶油霜)。倘若什麼也不想添加該怎麼辦？這篇網誌EC將分享製作不爆面不回縮的戚風杯子蛋糕方法。

To make chiffon cupcakes that rise evenly in the oven without cracking and that would not collapse while cooling, the best approach is prolonged baking at low temperature to prevent over-rising. So patience, patience, patience. In addition, I have come up with the following strategies:
要做到戚風杯子蛋糕在焗爐內平均上升不爆面和出爐後不回縮，最佳方法是低溫長時間烘焙避免蛋糕過度膨脹，需要的是耐性，耐性，耐性(重要的事要說三遍)！EC亦結合了以下方法：

1. Increase flour amount for a stronger support. Adding more flour not only makes sturdier cupcakes, it also fills your stomach. My daughter had once told me she felt like she had eaten nothing after devouring a cupcake and asked if she could eat one more. I replied yes then told her in secret that I already ate three in a row =D
一) 提高麵粉比例加強組織。多添麵粉不但使蛋糕質地更為結實，而且可增添飽肚感。女兒曾經在吃完一個杯子蛋糕後問EC可否多吃一個，她表示吃完後好像沒吃過任何東西似的。EC聽罷便說好，然後悄悄地跟她說其實媽媽早已一口氣吃掉了三個。

2. Do not over whip your meringue. Stiff meringue incorporates lots of air so will cause the cake to rise excessively in the oven, resulting in large cracks. Meringue with a curvy tail is what we need here.
二) 蛋白霜不能打得過硬。過硬的蛋白霜飽含空氣，杯子蛋糕入爐後一下子會爬升得很厲害以致表面爆裂。 這裡需要的是尾巴彎彎的蛋白霜。

3. Bake with a lower initial oven temperature followed by a gradual increase. Chiffon cakes are normally baked at 300-325℉/150-165℃ but for cupcakes this is way too high. For my small countertop oven I have to start at 250℉/120℃ for the cupcakes not to crack. The general rule is to bake the cupcakes at low temperature until the maximum height is reached (you will see them stop rising) then gradually raise oven temperature to brown the top. However, ovens vary in size, capacity and function. You will need to do some experiments to find out the optimal temperatures and baking time for your own oven.
三) 初時使用低溫然後將溫度逐步提升。戚風蛋糕烘焙溫度一般為300-325℉/150-165℃，可是對於杯子蛋糕來說這是太高了！EC要把家中的小型焗爐調至250℉/120℃，杯子蛋糕才不會爆面。 一般而言就是使用低溫焗至杯子蛋糕慢慢爬升到最高點(你會看見蛋糕不再往上升)然後逐漸調高爐溫為表面上色。然而各人的焗爐型號，大小和功能皆不同， 因此要靠不斷嘗試才能找出適合自己的爐溫和時間。

4. Reduce heat source from the lower baking element for a slow and steady rise. For oven with separate controls for both upper and lower baking elements, lowering the temperature of the lower element will simply do the trick. Sadly, my oven has only one control. In this case I would add an extra cookie sheet below the cupcake pan to prevent direct heating.
四) 減少底火以協助蛋糕穩定和慢慢爬升。若果焗爐上下火可以獨立調教的話，直接把底火溫度調低一些即可。不幸的是EC的焗爐上下火都是統一調節溫度的，因此會在杯子蛋糕模下面加一個烤盆阻擋底火。

5. Add some moisture by baking along with some water. I am NOT talking about water bath here. Simply fill a small ramekin with hot water and place it in the oven. If there is any empty cavity in the cupcake pan then go ahead and fill that cavity with hot water. In my experience, the steam can keep the cupcakes from being overly dry due to lengthy baking.
五) 烘焙時加點水增加濕度。這絕對不是水浴法，只是在焗爐內放一小杯熱水而已。若果杯子蛋糕模內仍有空間甚至可以直接把熱水倒進洞中。於EC的經驗來説，焗爐內的水蒸氣可避免蛋糕因長時間烘焙而變得過乾。

6. Bake the cupcakes thoroughly and dry the top. The cupcake surface needs to be rather firm and dry for it not to collapse when cooled without being inverted (see my failed attempt at the end of the post). Using steak as an analogy, chiffon cake baked in a tube pan is made to “medium well” and the tube in the middle would act as a support. Cupcakes have to be “well done” with a firm crust. Do not worry about the rock hard surface though. It will become soft again when you rest the cupcakes overnight.
六) 杯子蛋糕要焗至完全熟透。杯子蛋糕表面需要焗到非常結實和水份減少，出爐後才可在不倒扣之情況下也不會回縮(EC在文章末段附上沒有焗透的失敗作照片)。取牛扒來作個比喻，一般戚風蛋糕因為有中央的煙囪作支撐，蛋糕只需焗至“七至八成熟”已可取出，而杯子蛋糕則要焗至“十成熟”和表皮略帶堅硬。不過不用擔心表皮過硬，因為放置一天後表皮便會回復柔軟了。

Let me know if my tips could help you make better chiffon cupcakes!
若以上的小方法幫助到大家製作更漂亮的戚風杯子蛋糕，别忘記告訴EC啊！

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Basic Chiffon Cupcakes
原味戚風杯子蛋糕

Makes 12
十二個份量

Ingredients

90 g cake and pastry flour
A pinch of salt
60 g milk
3 large egg yolks
45 g grapeseed oil (or any light tasting oil)
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50 g granulated sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
Notes: the eggs I use each has a net weight of 50 – 55 g.

材料

低筋麵粉 90克
鹽 少許
牛奶 60克
大蛋蛋黃 3個
葡萄籽油(或任何淡味食油) 45克
大蛋蛋白 3個
他他粉 1/4茶匙
細砂糖(EC用有機蔗糖) 50克
註：EC使用的大蛋每隻淨重50-55克

Directions 做法

Line cupcake pan with paper liners. Preheat oven to 300ºF/150ºC.
杯子蛋糕模內放紙模，焗爐預熱300ºF/150ºC。

Combine and sift together the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center then pour in the milk, egg yolks and oil. Whisk gently until incorporated. Set aside.
低筋麵粉和鹽混合過篩放入鋼盆中，中開一穴後倒入牛奶，蛋黃和油，輕手用蛋拂攪拌均勻成蛋黃糊備用。

With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar (to stabilize the meringue) and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar in batches and continue beating until glossy and firm peaks form. When you lift up the whisk, the peak will hold its shape but the tip will fall back slightly.
用電動打蛋器或座枱式攪拌器(使用打蛋器配件)將蛋白打至起粗泡，加入他他粉(可令蛋白霜更穩定)繼續打至蛋白組織變細密，分次加糖打至有光澤及企身，蛋白霜拉起時呈尖長而末端輕微下垂狀。

Add one third of the meringue to the yolk batter and fold with a whisk to lighten. Add mixture back to the meringue and fold gently and thoroughly with a spatula until homogeneous.
將三分一蛋白霜混入蛋黃糊中用蛋拂充份拌勻，再倒回蛋白霜中用膠刮輕手以切拌方法混合至顔色均一。

Divide batter evenly among liners. Tap pan against the work surface a few times to get rid of large air bubbles. Place cupcake pan on a baking sheet and place in the oven along with a small ramekin filled with hot water.
將麵糊平均分配放入紙模中，將烤模往枱上輕敲幾下敲出大氣泡後放在烤盆上，連同一小杯熱水一起放入焗爐中。

Reduce oven temperature to 250ºF/120ºC and bake for 30 minutes. Increase to 300ºF/150ºC and bake for 15 minutes more to brown the top. Cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil and increase to 325ºF/160ºC and bake for 5 more minutes until the cupcake surface feels very firm to the touch. All ovens are different so adjust baking time accordingly.
放入焗爐以250ºF/120ºC焗30分鐘後轉300ºF/150ºC多焗15分鐘上色，蓋上錫紙再轉325ºF/160ºC多焗5分鐘至輕按時蛋糕表面感覺非常結實，各家焗爐有别，請自行調節時間。

Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely. Store cupcakes in an airtight food container and let rest overnight until the surface of the cupcakes become soft again before serving.
出爐五分鐘後將杯子蛋糕取出移到冷卻架上完全放涼，把杯子蛋糕放在密封食物盒內保存過夜，待表皮回軟後可食用。

Cross section of the chiffon cupcake.
戚風杯子蛋糕橫切面。

See how springy it is!
蛋糕非常有彈性！

The cupcakes in the middle began to crack after 20 minutes of baking at an initial temperature of 275℉/135℃.
開始爐溫為275℉/135℃，可是大約20分鐘後中央的杯子蛋糕便開始爆面。

If not baked thoroughly, the cupcakes would shrink while cooling.
若焗得不夠，杯子蛋糕出爐放涼時便會開始往下陷。

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